Fastener



July 8, 1958 I SMITH 2,841,848

FASTENER Filed May 10, 1954 INVENTOR.

United States Patent FASTENER Dale D. Smith, Royal Oak, Mich., assignorto Harley Earl, Inc., a corporation of Michigan Application May 10,1954, Serial No. 428,634

3 Claims. (CI. 24-41) This invention relates to fasteners and, moreparticularly, to an improved cuif link particularly adapted for use infastening French-type cuffs.

An object of the invention is to overcome disadvantages in priorfasteners of the indicated character and to provide an improved cufflink which may be applied to French-type cuffs by shirt manufacturers orthe like to fasten such cuffs for shipping and storage and which mayalso be utilized by the purchaser of a shirt to fasten such cuffs whenhe desires to wear the shirt.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved culf linkwhich may be molded as a unitary structure and which incorporatesimproved means that effectively maintains the cuff link in the fasteningposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cuff link thatmay be easily and quickly applied to, and removed from, Frenchtype cuffswith a minimum of time and effort on the part of the user.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved cufflink that is pleasing in appearance, economical to manufacture, durable,efficient and reliable in operation.

The above as well as other objects and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description, theappended claims, and the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cuff link constructed in accordancewith the present invention, showing the same applied to a French-typecuif on a fragmentarily illustrated sleeve;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the cuff link illustrated in Fig.1, showing the same in the open position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevational view of the cuff link illustratedin Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the cuff link illustrated in Fig.3, showing the same in the closed position.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, a cuff,generally designated 10, is shown secured to a sleeve 12 of a mansshirt. The particular cufi illustrated is known as a French-type cuff,although it will be understood that the present invention is applicableto other uses. Cuffs of the type illustrated are conventionally providedwith aligned apertures in the side portions thereof, and as shown inFig. l, are worn with the side portions disposed in back-to-backrelation, as distinguished from overlapping relationship.

The cuff link of the present invention may be molded as a unitarystructure and may be applied to the cuff to secure the side portionsthereof in back-to-back relationship. The cuff link, generallydesignated 14, is comprised of an elongate, initially fiat, flexiblebase 16 which is preferably formed of a plastic material such aselastomeric vinyl, polyethylene or other similar material. While in thepreferred construction illustrated, the surfaces of the base 16 areshown as being relatively smooth, it will be understood that suchsurfaces may be configured or altered in shape to suit the wishes of thedesigner.

2,841,848 Patented July 8, 1958 At a position near, but spaced from, oneend of the base 16, a tang 18 is provided which is preferably formedintegrally with the base 16 and which is preferably formed of the samematerial as the base. The tang 18 projects out of the plane of the base,with the longitudinal axis of the tang extending in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the base 16 when the base is in asubstantially flat position, as shown in Fig. 3. In the preferred construction illustrated, the tang 18 is shaped generally in the form of acone with the side surfaces 20 thereof converging toward the outer endof the tang. It will be understood, however, that the tang 18, in crosssection, may be polygonal, as for example, the tang 18 may be shaped inthe form of a pyramid.

At a position near, but spaced from, the opposite end of base 16, asleeve 22 is provided which is also preferably formed integrally withthe base and which is preferably formed of the same material as the base16 and the tang 18. The sleeve 22 projects out of the plane of the baseon the same side of the base as the tang 18, the longitudinal axis ofthe sleeve 22 extending in a direction substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the tang 18 when the base 16 is in a substantiallyfiat position, as shown in Fig. 3. The sleeve 22 defines a taperedrecess 24 which is open at the outer end and which is adapted to receiveand closely fit the tang 18 when the base 16 is return bent in thegeneral shape of a U, as shown in Fig. 4. In order to facilitateinsertion of the tang 18 in the recess 24, the outer end of the tang isrounded, as at 25. The cuff link 14 may be molded as a unitary structurethereby reducing manufacturing costs to a minimum and obviating thenecessity of assembling the components thereof.

In applying the cuif link of the present invention to a French-typecuff, the side portions of the cuff are initially positioned inback-to-back relationship as shown in Fig. 1. The sleeve 22 is thenfitted through the aligned apertures conventionally provided in the sideportions of the cuff after which the base 16 is return bent in thegeneral form of a U so as to extend around the adjacent edges of suchside portions, and the tang 18 is pressed into the recess 24 defined bythe sleeve 22. As previously mentioned, the base 16', the tang 18, andthe sleeve 22 are preferably formed of elastomeric vinyl, polyethylene,or a similar material. Such materials, while dry to the touch, haveadhesive characteristics when two pieces of the same material arepressed together, and the adhesion, together with the friction of thefit between the tang 18 and the sleeve 22, serves to maintain the sleeve22 and the tang 18 in interfitted relationship. The cuif link may beremoved from the cuff by applying sufficient pressure to the oppositeend portions of the base 16 to overcome the adhesion and the frictionbetween the tang 18 and the sleeve 22' and spread the opposite endportions of the base apart.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that various changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a one piece fastener, an elongate flexible plastic base portion, aplastic tang portion integrally joined to said base portion at aposition near but spaced from one endthereof, the side walls of saidtang portion converging toward the free end thereof in the form of afrustum, a plastic sleeve portion integrally joined to said base portionat a position near but spaced from the opposite end thereof, said tangportion and said sleeve portion projecting out of the plane of said baseportion with the axes of said sleeve portion and said. tang portion insubstantially parallel relationship when said base portion is in asubstantially fiat position, said sleeve portion defining a taperedrecess adapted to receive and snugly fit said tang portion when saidbase portion is return bent whereby the opposite end sections of saidbase portions extend in spaced substantially parallel relationship, saidfastener being formed of a plastic material having adhesivecharacteristics when two pieces of the same material are pressedtogether, the adhesive characteristics of said material together withthe friction of the fit between said tang portion and said sleeveportion serving to maintain said tang portion and said sleeve portion ininterfitted relationship.

2. A one piece cufif link comprising an elongate fiexible base portion,a tang portion integrally joined to said base portion and projecting outof the plane thereof in the form of a frusturn, a sleeve portionintegrally joined to said base portion in spaced relationship to saidtang portion and projecting out of the plane of said base portion, saidsleeve portion and said tang portion being formed of a plastic materialhaving adhesive characteristics when two pieces of the same material arepressed together, said sleeve portion being adapted to receive andclosely fit said tang portion when said base portion is return bentwhereby the opposite end sections of said base portion extend in spacedsubstantially parallel relationship/the adhesive characteristics of saidmaterial together with the friction of the fit between said tangpoitionand said sleeve portion serving to maintain said tang portion andsaid sleeve portion in interfitted relationship.

3. A one piece cuff link comprising an elongate initially flat flexiblebase portion, a tapered tang portion integrally joined to one endsection of said base portion and projecting out of the plane thereof inthe form of a frustum, a sleeve portion integrally joined to theopposite end section of said base portion in spaced relationship to saidtang portion and projecting out of the plane of said base portion, saidcuff link being formed of a plastic material having adhesivecharacteristics when two pieces of the same material are pressedtogether, said sleeve portion defining a tapered recess adapted toreceive and retain said tang portion when said base portion is returnbent whereby the opposite end sections of said base portion extend inspaced substantially parallel relationship, the adhesive characteristicsof said material together with the friction of the fit between said tangportion and said sleeve portion serving to maintain said tang portionand said sleeve portion in interfitted relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS646,738 Ingalls Apr. 3, 1900 974,976 Kohlweyer Nov. 8, 1910 1,005,074Robinson Oct. 3, 1911 1,339,713 Pullen May 11, 1920 1,701,461 GrahamFeb. 5, 1929 1,849,329 May Mar. 15, 1932 2,019,691 Morehouse Nov. 5,1935 2,046,l59 Gottlieb June 30, 1936 2,497,305 Isaac et al. Feb. 14,1950 2,610,879 Pope Sept. 16, 1952 2,709,290 Rosenthal May 31, 1955

